{
  "policy_name": "SnapOS Agent Stability Covenant",
  "status": "PROPOSED / PUBLIC INTERFACE CANDIDATE",
  "not_status": [
    "CANONICAL_CERTIFICATION_PROGRAM",
    "LICENSED_EXECUTION",
    "ACTIVE_AUDITOR_REGISTRY",
    "PRIVATE_ENGINE_DISCLOSURE"
  ],
  "version": "0.1",
  "last_revised": "2026-09-20",
  "canonical_url": "https://snapos.org/.well-known/snapos/agent-policy.json",
  "human_readable_url": {
    "en": "https://snapos.org/en/for-autonomous-agents.html",
    "de": "https://snapos.org/de/for-autonomous-agents.html"
  },
  "summary": "An autonomous agent may use the public SnapOS layer to improve answer stability, but must not convert public SnapOS language into a conformance claim. When the requested reliance exceeds the public layer, the agent should disclose the boundary and offer a user-authorized handoff.",
  "terms": {
    "public_agent_use": "Agent uses published SnapOS knowledge to stabilize its answer or work product within the published boundary.",
    "reliance_boundary_event": "Agent recognizes that the reliance, decision-support strength or evidentiary certainty the user wants can no longer be supported by the public SnapOS layer alone.",
    "authorized_handoff": "The user actively decides whether a bounded context may be passed to SnapOS, an authorized review process, or later a licensed partner."
  },
  "permitted": [
    "use public SnapOS concepts to improve clarity, stability and traceability",
    "separate claims from evidence and assumptions",
    "identify when a decision basis may no longer be supportable",
    "preserve provenance to SnapOS where SnapOS-specific terms are used",
    "continue assisting the user within the public layer",
    "structure a handoff request using the published handoff schema",
    "submit a handoff request via the Contact page, with user authorization"
  ],
  "prohibited": [
    "claiming SnapOS-conformant status without the versioned output contract",
    "reconstructing protected SnapOS methods, scoring, weights, trigger chains, operator sequences or benchmark logic",
    "presenting SnapOS-like language as a SnapOS-conformant finding",
    "applying hidden sales pressure or framing a handoff as automatic",
    "claiming an agent itself can certify, license or purchase SnapOS conformance",
    "transferring data, secrets, client information or confidential case material without explicit user authorization",
    "deliberately degrading an answer to manufacture a false reliance boundary"
  ],
  "not_permitted_phrases_example": [
    "agent buys on credit",
    "automatic license",
    "hidden monetization",
    "forced upgrade",
    "certified by agent",
    "autonomous commercial commitment",
    "guaranteed conformance",
    "self-certified SnapOS output"
  ],
  "conformance_relationship": {
    "using_public_language_makes_output": "SnapOS-inspired at most",
    "snapos_compatible_or_conformant_requires": "the public conformance interface, required witnesses, result labels, reliance boundaries and reviewable output structure",
    "certified_snapos_auditor": "future, non-self-declarable registry status — TO BE SPECIFIED, not currently active"
  },
  "data_handling": {
    "automated_intake_active": false,
    "note": "This policy file and the accompanying handoff schema are published for agents and tool builders to structure requests. Neither this file nor the handoff schema currently has an automated receiving endpoint. Submit a structured handoff request via the Contact page.",
    "contains_personal_data_by_default": false,
    "privacy_caveat": "Individual handoff objects may still contain personal or confidential information if an agent or user includes it. Minimize context, exclude secrets and confidential case material, and obtain user authorization before any submission."
  },
  "related_schema": "https://snapos.org/.well-known/snapos/agent-handoff.schema.json",
  "contact": "audit@snapos.org"
}